


All that Glitters

by monophobian



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Costume Parties & Masquerades, F/M, and then it exploded and now i have this, it was only supposed to be smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:21:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24198148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monophobian/pseuds/monophobian
Summary: In which Kouga and Kagome are mutually pining idiots, the Taishos play at matchmaking, and Ayame utilizes the healing power of doughnuts.* Nominated for Best AU/AR, 2020 3rd Quarter Feudal Connection Awards.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/Kouga
Comments: 145
Kudos: 140





	1. Prologue: "You've had a lot of time to plan this, haven't you?"

If Kagome managed to not strangle Inuyasha with his own perfect hair, she deserved a medal.

“I’m not doing anything Saturday night,” she said through gritted teeth, hoping he finally got the point.

“Yes, you are,” he answered anyway, “I told you about it—”

“And I told you,” she tried again, shoving her fingers under her thighs before she reached over and started grabbing hair, “I’m not doing _anything_ Saturday night.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Kagome—”

“No. _No_. I don’t go to this ball.” She was pointing at his chest before she realized one of her hands were free. “I _never_ go to this ball.”

“Kagome—”

“There is no way I’m going as your date!”

“And I don’t want you to!” Inuyasha snapped. He took a breath, raked a hand through his hair, then collapsed on the couch next to her. “This came out all wrong. Can I try again?” Before she could say anything, he tacked on, “—and no, I’m not asking you to be my date which you would know if you just _listened_ to me.”

She raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to continue. This should be fun.

“My parents are throwing a ball—”

“Like they do every year.”

His eyes narrowed. “I can’t get this out if you’re going to keep interrupting me.”

A smile threatened to break across the stern line of Kagome’s mouth. He saw it and his mouth twitched.

“As I was saying—”

“Yes, Inuyasha,” she cut in, fighting the smile tugging at her cheeks again., “your parents are throwing a huge ball and they do this every year and every year you find some reason to not go because there’s no way I would ever agree to going to something _this important_ and lie about being your date.”

He took in another breath, but this time his eyes were laughing when he admonished her. “You know, if you’d just listen for a sec, you wouldn’t be wrong all the time.”

The smile finally broke through and with it, a laugh she’d been holding in for way too long.

“Yes, you’re right about what we _have_ done, but that’s not what we’re doing this year.”

Kagome sat up, turning suspicious eyes on him. He was planning something. “It’s not?”

“I just told you to listen.”

“I would if you spit it out already.”

“Some days I don’t know whether I love you or I hate you.”

“You wouldn’t have me any other way.”

Inuyasha nudged her shoulder. “You going to shut up now?”

With a dramatic sigh, she relaxed into the cushion. “If you insist.”

“I’m taking Ayame as my date this year and every year after and you no longer have to smile and make nice with all the people that tell us what a cute couple we are ever again.”

It took a moment for her to catch up to the rush of words he spat out, but when she did, she went boneless. What a _relief_. While she was always available to help her friends out, putting herself on the perpetual shelf for as long as Inuyasha and Ayame were hush hush about their relationship was exhausting. She couldn’t remember the last time she danced with someone who was actually interested in her — and she’d been forced to way too many parties for that to be okay.

It was about time for Inuyasha and Ayame to finally be out—

Kagome jerked back up. “What are your parents going to say?”

“I told them yesterday.”

“You what?!”

“Don’t worry,” he waved off her shock. “Apparently, they’ve known for years that we were just friends. Mom asked when they were finally going to meet my actual girlfriend and Dad asked if you got sick of batting your eyes at me and threatened to publicly dump me if I made you go as my date again.”

“Your dad has always known me so well.”

“It was,” he sighed, ignoring her for his own memory, “it was a good conversation. Better than I thought it would be.”

She rubbed his shoulder, a smile already growing. “I’m sure they were just happy you were talking to them.”

“Which makes it worse.” Inuyasha shook his head. “I hated lying to them, but I didn’t want to ruin this, you know?”

Tucking her foot under her butt, she turned toward her old friend. “Inuyasha, it’s okay. I’m sure they understand.” He nodded, but remained silent, so she tugged at a strand of hair. “So tell me — if you don’t need me to go as your date, why did you schedule a dress fitting for me?”

The question brought him out of his head and he grinned when he turned to answer her. That wasn’t a good sign. “Because Mom and Dad made it explicitly clear — now that we’re no longer lying to people, they want you to enjoy yourself.”

Oh _no_. “They couldn’t just let me enjoy the night at home?”

“Nope. In her own words,” he cleared his throat and then put on his best worst imitation of his mother, “ ‘It’s about time for Kagome to dance and drink and not have to worry about how you look for a change.’ She set up your dress fitting, picked out your mask—”

“My _mask_?”

“Every time with you!” he laughed, smacking her thigh. “Will you let me finish?!”

She shrugged, long used to this banter between them.

“Yes, your mask. It’s a masquerade ball this year,” he put a hand over her mouth when she want to speak, “and Sesshoumaru has already agreed to use another model for his jewelry.”

 _Whoa_. Surprised, Kagome could only blink at Inuyasha. The few times Kagome had gone to an event alone — when Inuyasha had prior engagements — she stood in as Sesshoumaru’s date. Not that Sesshoumaru ever brought a _date_ date; he used his plus one invitation as free advertisement for whatever new collection he was about to release.

But this ball? This huge event? The biggest one they threw every year to celebrate his father’s company’s success?

Inuyasha’s grin was beaming by now, proof that something else was going on in that head of his. “I’ve been debating on whether I should tell you or not, but Ayame and I agreed you’d kill me if I let you show up without warning.” He cleared his throat and it took everything in her to wait patiently. “Mom has someone she wants you to meet.”

She tore his hand away from her mouth. “ _What?!_ ”

“Apparently, she’s been using the time we’ve been fake-dating to pick out who she thinks is the best match for you.”

“Your mother is trying to matchmake at the biggest event of the year?!”

“I don’t know if she’ll go that far. Just that she thinks there’s someone you might be interested in.”

Kagome promptly bit her tongue. There was someone she was interested in, but no way was she going to let Inuyasha’s _mother_ know. 

“Don’t worry, I didn’t say anything about Kouga.”

“ _Kouga?!_ ” Kagome sputtered. “What are you talking about?”

“You think I haven’t noticed? After the years I’ve known you?” he scoffed, his face letting her know he didn’t buy that at all. “You absolutely have the hots for Kouga.”

Her face flamed in a blush and she knew she couldn’t stammer her way out of this one.

“Don’t try to lie,” Inuyasha shot her a hard look. “Every event we have, you’ve secretly checked the guest list to see if he was there.”

“That’s not true!” she lied.

“Oh, you had me fooled at first. You only relaxed when he wasn’t going to make it, so for the longest time I thought something happened between you two.”

“Inuyasha, I’ve never spoken a word to that man in my life.”

“But the times he was there,” he continued, completely ignoring anything she said, “you did everything you could to get out of dancing with me. Or flirting with me in general. It was almost like you _wanted_ to appear single.”

 _Busted_. She was totally and thoroughly busted.

“And then I was worried that I had done something stupid and was taking complete advantage of you—”

“I would have said something.”

“—until Ayame figured it out.”

Kagome blinked at him, stopping her thought in its tracks. “Ayame?”

“Yeah. Remember that get together Kouga hosted after her first show?”

“You mean the one you told me was a casual barbecue and I was the only woman there who didn’t wear a dress?”

He had the grace to wince. “That one. Ayame figured it out then when you kept looking at him.”

“But—“

“Not that we blame you. Even Ayame said Kouga was looking fine dressed down like that.”

She really didn’t want to talk about this with Inuyasha, but Kouga had looked _devastating_ at that lunch. Kagome thought his open collar and bared forearms couldn’t get better until he turned around and she caught how his slacks hugged his hips. “And your mother doesn’t know?” she asked quickly, trying to shove that memory to the back burner where Inuyasha wouldn’t see her drooling over it. 

“I don’t think so. She hasn’t said.”

She sank into the cushions and covered her face with a pillow. If the couch would just swallow her up, that would be great. 

“What’s that for?” Inuyasha turned to her, pulling her arms down. “This could be your chance to talk to him.”

“And say what?” she shot out, torn between laughing and panicking. “ ‘Hi, I’m Kagome. We’ve never spoken but I’ve been stalking you for years and think you’re really cute. Want to get coffee with me sometime? Only it has to be cheap because my student loans are about to hit.’ ” She scowled at Inuyasha and threw the pillow at him. “ _Please_.”

Inuyasha somehow managed to dodge, the jerk. “You could just say the first part and ignore the rest.”

She gaped at him. He had lost his damn mind. “Inuyasha, he’s an award-winning fashion designer!”

“And you’re an award-winning painter!”

“Awards don’t count if they come from your university.”

The glare he shot her was deadly. “Oh, don’t start that shit again.”

“What shit?” She sat back up. “Yeah, I’m good, but I’m not _Kouga_ level good!”

“ _Bullshit!_ ”

“He—”

“If you even start to use his success to tear yourself down when his _parents_ —”

“Don’t you dare credit his parents for his hard work!”

When Inuyasha didn’t say anything, Kagome realized she just shouted at him. Shouted. Wonderful. She was doing a real good job trying to play off her crush. She readjusted on the couch, sitting shoulder to shoulder next to him.

“Are you done yelling at me?” he asked in amusement.

“Are you done being an idiot?” she responded, leaning into him.

“You know, I’m beginning to think that in this scenario, I’m not the idiot.”

She grunted, poking at his side. “What does that mean?”

“How long have you had a crush on him?”

His sober tone took the fight right out of her. “A while.”

“A long while?”

She sighed, shook her head, debated fudging her answer, and then gave him the truth he seemed to already know. “A long while.”

“So you’ve been secretly watching Kouga while going to all these events as my date?”

She caught what he was implying. “If I really had a problem with it, I would have told you.”

Inuyasha blew out a sigh. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Love me forever as your bestest friend in the whole wide world?”

That got him to laugh and she found herself smiling in response.

“Well, now we really have to talk to Ayame about your dress fitting.”

“Ayame?” Kagome sat up and looked at her longtime friend. “Why would Ayame be doing the dress fitting?”

“Because she’s the one designing it?”

“You didn’t tell me I was wearing one of hers!”

“You think I’m going to let this crush you have on Kouga go? No, only the best for you and Ayame seems to have the perfect one in mind.”


	2. Chapter 1: "Look, I'm an animal, I got instincts, and I know you two were diggin' on each other!"

The ball was in full swing. There were a few late arrivals still trickling in, but most of the anticipated guests had arrived. Already, Kouga had thwarted off two subtle requests for a dance, choosing instead to focus on touching base with his business connections in the room.

He didn’t normally work at an event, but dancing with someone who wasn’t the someone he couldn’t get out of his head didn’t sound like a good time.

Both Taishou sons were in attendance, he noted. Sesshoumaru was easy to identify even with his costume — that sleek, bright hair and the diamonds covering the mask of his date were hard to miss. He was dressed in the sharp suit Kouga had chosen from his own exclusive line, the diamond studded cufflinks one of the few items Sesshoumaru allowed other lines to sell. His date, however, was draped in a simple silk gown, her jewelry the star of the show.

Kouga had to take a second glance at the date. She looked familiar, but there was something about how she carried herself that didn’t fit his initial suspicion.

Inuyasha, he found, was slightly harder to pinpoint. He expected to see the man next to the lively figure that appeared with him in the past who oddly enough resembled Sesshoumaru’s date. What he found, however, was the youngest Taishou son standing next to a woman with striking auburn hair and— _Ayame?_

He almost walked into a waiter. Apologizing quickly, he grabbed a small hors d’oeuvre off the tray. When had _that_ happened? Judging from how the two were acting, Kouga didn’t need to rely on gossip to tell that those two were not merely friends.

And if gossip were to be believed, Inuyasha had an engagement to announce soon. It had been mentioned throughout the last few months that Inuyasha was making certain purchases and Kouga hated the idea that the sweet painter would be permanently taken off the market. But now, it appeared the ring was for Ayame? Even her mask didn’t confuse Kouga. That was definitely his designer. How had Ayame kept that from him?

The subtle sweep of relief Kouga felt wasn’t a surprise.

Moving through the crowd, Kouga turned his attention to other guests. He’d give the couple time to adjust and then he’d swoop in when they least expected it. That always made for an eventful evening. He was already anticipating the little stutter Ayame did when she was surprised.

Although…with Inuyasha and Ayame together, was _she_ also here? Now that she wasn’t on Inuyasha’s arm, would she be here on her own?

A couple at the edge of the dance floor caught his attention and the man funding this entire event waved him over. Really, the silver hair was a dead giveaway for this family.

“It’s nice to see you here, Kouga,” Touga said, his handshake broad and firm and completely familiar. He didn’t question how the man recognized him. The Taishous always had a way of knowing exactly who they were speaking to.

“To refuse would have been an insult to your wife,” Kouga replied, leaning in to kiss her cheek, “and I certainly know better than to make that mistake.”

Her smile was warm and infectious and he was happy she had gone with a small, decorative mask that only covered her eyes. “Flatterer,” she admonished gently. “Sometimes I don’t know what to do with you.”

“Ah, I like to think I’m taking good care of myself that you don’t have to worry about that.”

“That you are,” Touga said as he took two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to Izayoi. Kouga took one for himself. “In the black after your first year and not even at the close of five, you’ve tripled your investment.”

Kouga’s cheeks heated slightly and he was very relieved it was hidden under his mask.

“Have you considered going public?”

He took a healthy sip from his flute. The champagne was sharp and crisp and actually really damn good. “No, not really. There are still things I want to do with the company and I like having it on my own.”

A flicker showed in the man’s eyes, something Kouga almost thought was pride. “Well, if you ever do consider, please let me know. I’d love a chance to buy in.”

“You’d be the first I offered it too.” And he was. After his parents’ sudden deaths and his inheritance, the Taishous graciously took him under their wing. Kouga had a lot of family support, but this couple offered business guidance and a sound ear to bounce ideas off of, something Kouga was still incredibly grateful for.

“Have you seen our sons anywhere?” Izayoi asked, looking over the ballroom. “I was hoping to get a dance with them before they got swept up.”

“I spotted Sesshoumaru in conversation with Totosai. His newest collection is absolutely stunning.”

“His apprentice designed half of it, if you can believe.” Touga’s grin mirrored the humor in his eyes. “Rin certainly is making a name for herself.”

“I’m surprised he even looked at her ideas.” Sesshoumaru was notoriously selective, choosing to design himself rather than collaborate with other industry professionals.

“She didn’t give him a choice. When she realized he was only giving her busy work, she locked him out of his office until he actually critiqued what she was working on.”

Kouga laughed. A spitfire that had the guts to pull off that stunt was either incredibly dense or incredibly talented. Considering Sesshoumaru didn’t fire her on the spot proved the latter.

“I also heard through some mutual friends of ours that Inuyasha has been looking at rings?” The question was out before he realized he thought it, but Kouga couldn’t find it in him to take it back. He was definitely curious about this recent development, all parties included.

“This goes no further than us,” Touga said lowly as he leaned in, “but can you believe the brat was secretly dating her through college without letting us know?”

Kouga almost choked on his drink. He was hoping for some kind of hint at what was going on, but not for Touga to go straight for the kill. “The entire time?”

“He wanted to wait until they were serious to introduce her to us, so sweet Kagome acted as the diversion until they decided to make it public.”

 _Kagome_. Kouga bit the inside of his cheek to keep from giving away his reaction to her name. “The diversion?”

“Apparently it was her idea. They were close enough friends that she would stand in as his date for events where he needed one so he could spend the time getting to know Ayame in private.”

That was exactly what he wanted to hear. If Inuyasha had no claim, Kouga might actually be able to see if she would be receptive to a date. “I take it she’s been given the night off?”

Izayoi’s eyes twinkled and Kouga mentally cursed. One comment too many and now the woman would be making up all sorts of things in her head. That they were probably true was beside the point.

“Perhaps.”

“Ah.” Now seemed like the perfect time to retreat. Izayoi always saw too much. When he fooled everyone else right before he switched up his fashion lines, she knew something was going on. And it seemed his lingering glances and quiet interest in Inuyasha’s gorgeous friend hadn’t gone unnoticed.

“It’s a lovely party,” he offered, looking for a graceful way to exit the conversation before it began. Even the look in Touga’s eye showed his secrets weren’t as secret as he believed. “Seems to be very—”

A blue dress caught his eye. Glittering over Izayoi’s shoulder, the beautiful satin reflected off the dance floor as the woman moved over the marble. He knew that dress. He’d recognize it anywhere, but it wasn’t the design that kept his gaze fixed.

The model was _stunning_. Rich, black hair pulled in an elegant twist framed one side of her face and neck, jewels and crystals sparkling along the braids in a mimicry of the dress. Her mask was a matching blue and accented in a stunning display of midnight feathers flaring out at each corner. The mask narrowed down to a petite point over her nose, giving off a delicate vision of a bird. Simple jewelry at her ears and throat accompanied but didn’t detract and she moved with such grace, the folds of the dress followed seamlessly behind her like wings.

“Such a beautiful gown, isn’t it?” Izayoi asked, knowledge dancing along her tone. “It looks stunning on her.”

“Isn’t it one of yours, Kouga?” Tough asked. “From the main line Ayame is overseeing?”

It was the unseen favorite at the last show and had garnered such extra attention, Kouga’s designer had been approached by no less than three different companies. She rejected each offer, claiming that working for him offered invaluable insight and critique. Such as this particular dress, Ayame had told him later, the texture something he personally picked out. He had bitten his cheek to keep from admitting he designed it for a woman who would never wear it.

Kouga swallowed past the memory, answering the question but unable to look away. “There’s already talk that this collection will have her nominated for quite a few awards.”

“It was very successful at the show last month.”

Was he supposed to answer that? Was he supposed to say anything? The mystery woman made her way through the lingering people, her eyes flicking over the entire room.

_Who is she?_

“Certainly you could go and ask.” Touga’s amused tone filled Kouga with embarrassment as he realized he spoke out loud. “Though it appears that she’s heading this way.”

Kouga looked again and paled under his own mask. She was indeed, her gaze flowing over the lingering crowd to land on the hosts. And the closer she came, the he stared. Perfect skin, a delicate chin, her bare shoulders just asking to receive a row of kisses. Everything about her was breathtaking and with each step she made toward them, the more his anticipation grew.

“Good evening, milady,” Touga murmured in a charming voice, putting the woman at ease. He kissed her hand in greeting and it became immediately obvious that he knew exactly who this woman was. Even Izayoi’s posture hadn’t changed. Whoever was behind that mask, the two were perfectly comfortable in her presence.

“Thank you for the invitation,” came a sweet, melodic voice. “The party is beautiful.”

“We’re glad you could make it.” Izayoi’s eyes twinkled as she looked at Kouga. “How convenient that both of you arrived without a date. Certainly you’ll enjoy a dance or two together to start the night out right?” She turned to her husband with all the confidence and nonchalance of an established woman who knew she wouldn’t be argued with. “Touga, would you accompany me? I’d like a glass of wine.”

The mystery woman’s eyes flashed behind her mask in shock, but she remained poised even as Kouga was gritting his teeth in embarrassment. Of course they would put him in this situation. Dancing with the gorgeous stranger who caught his attention immediately? He never should have expected different.

At least it distracted the couple from his slip-up about Kagome. Though if anyone could distract from her, it was this woman wearing Ayame’s gown.

The two meddling nuisances were gone far too soon and Kouga couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him. Silver crystals accented her mask in the way makeup would draw attention to preferred features. Past her mask, he was struck by the gray of her eyes and the shrewd way she appraised him.

“Good evening,” she offered hesitantly and Kouga had the sudden impression that she might run.

“Good evening.” With an overdramatic bow, he went for the chance he was given. “May I have this first dance?” he asked, extending his arm. “And perhaps the next one as well?”

A soft giggle floated between them and he couldn’t resist smiling. She dropped into a small, graceful curtsy before placing her hand in his. “The first one, yes,” she answered as they stood, “but I reserve promising the second until after.”

He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and led them to the dance floor. “Waiting to see if a better offer presents itself?”

“Mm, waiting to see if my toes are still intact after one.”

He laughed, taking the smile and the tease. “I’m wounded.” He pulled her close, waiting for her signal before beginning their waltz. “I promise to leave you in almost the same condition you started in.”

She moved with him, the beginning steps simple and precise as they each took time to learn each other’s space. “Almost?”

“It would be very embarrassing if I were the only one left breathless,” he answered smoothly, pulling her closer into a more intimate hold.

She accommodated beautifully, matching him step for step. “And do you think you could have that effect?”

He could go for it or he could play it safe. He’d had enough experiences to pull off both, but took the extra second to read her. This beautiful mystery woman who enchanted him even before he saw the color of her eyes — was she worth the risk?

“I would be lucky,” he murmured, knowing she was, “to captivate you half as much as you have captivated me.”


	3. Chapter 2: "I can talk. I love to talk! I'm the talkin'est damn thing you ever saw."

The first dance was easy and smooth, the two taking their time to learn each other’s movements. She seemed hesitant at first and Kouga wondered if it was because of him or if she was getting used to her dress. No matter the reason, he made sure to give the best dance partner she could have asked for.

They gave bows as the song ended and when he held his hand out for the second, the quirk in her lips was all he needed to see.

“If I’m not mistaken,” he murmured, goading her to accept his invitation, “your toes have nothing to fear.”

She laughed, shaking her head before placing her hand in his. Kouga slid the other hand around her waist, getting ready for the next dance as she smiled up at him. “I guess I should give you a good opportunity to make me breathless.” Her hand went to his shoulder and she didn’t shy away from stepping close. “It is a bit much to expect after just one dance.”

He grinned. What a perfect challenge. “You have no care for my ego.”

“Of course I do,” came what he could only call a purr. “I want to keep it at a healthy size.”

Kouga laughed as he swung her around, no longer interested in playing it safe. He knew how to dance, knew how to lead his partner. Izayoi demanded nothing less. An opportunity to lead this woman wasn’t one he was going to waste.

This song was more lively, its faster tempo designed to keep ongoing movement and Kouga took advantage of it. Turns and dips and kicks to showcase the flare of her dress, how the fabric was formed to enhance the line of her body.

He was showing her off and from carefree smiles she shot him, she was enjoying it.

Her enjoyment was infectious, spurring him toward bolder moves. Pulling her closer than needed, letting her dress wrap around his legs before moving into the next step, centering his hand on the small of her back and using it to guide her through the movements. She matched him step for step, move for move, flirt for flirt.

Pulling her close after one particularly daring spin, he couldn’t resist a tease. “Breathless yet?”

“I’ve been able to stifle my yawns.” Her eyes twinkled through her mask.

Kouga couldn’t help but grin and when her breath hitched, he knew he might have a chance. “Good thing I’m not done.”

Moves went bigger, turns went longer, and finally, knowing the song and having set up the perfect space, he waited for the final motif to sound before drawing her in, spinning her around, and ending in a low dip. Oh, Izayoi and Touga knew what they were doing, Kouga realized a split second as he lowered the woman. Her leg slid up his thigh, stopping at his hip and he didn’t need to look to know her toe was pointed and her dress was sliding off her calf in gorgeous waves toward the floor.

He held her as the applause started, loving that the woman didn’t balk at the move. Laughter filled her eyes and her smile was true. Genuine. So carefree and beautiful, he barely kept from pulling her up into a kiss. No, if he was going to be lucky enough to kiss her, it wouldn’t be on the dance floor in front of everyone.

Her head tilted as he held her in the dip, her smile turning wry as she waited for him to move. Too bad his mask covered so much of his face; how he would love to see her reaction to the arch of his brow.

Finally, he pulled her up and grinned at the smaller applause they garnered. Her eyes flashed in challenge and when the third song began, a slower ballad, she perched her hand on his shoulder and waited for him to lead. Kouga didn’t resist, already addicted to the weight of her in his arms. He loved the feel of her dress flowing against his slacks as he moved. Loved even more the tease of her curves against his chest when she leaned in.

“Do you normally show off in such a fashion?” she asked softly, laughter underlying her words.

“Only when I have something worth showing off.”

She tensed ever so slightly at his words, then relaxed again as they continued dancing. “That proud of your dance skills, are you?”

The deflection was intriguing; he’d offered such a blatant compliment and instead of taking it, she turned it around on him. Was she not comfortable with the flattery? Or was she continuing the tease?

“I don’t think it was my footwork that captured people’s attention,” he answered, turning to catch her eye. “Not when that dress fits you so well.”

Heat dusted what he could see of her cheeks, a slight spread toward her ears. “Thank you,” she replied, her eyes dropping to his tie. “I still don’t know how I managed to luck out with this one.”

He didn’t either, but admitting so would give away too much. Kouga couldn’t risk a bad reaction if she found out who he was.

“Then again,” a tease returned in her tone and her eyes sparkled in mischief, “I don’t know how I lucked out to find a peacock for a dance partner, either.”

“Ah,” he said, feigning regret, “I knew I was forgetting something. If I had remembered my feathers, maybe you would have fallen in my arms at the beginning.”

She laughed, her hand sliding up his shoulder to a more intimate hold. “Like you need the feathers. You suit is excellently tailored.”

There was that purr in her voice again and when she smoothed her palm over the slope of his shoulder, he wondered if maybe a peacock wasn’t a terrible analogy. Her actions were enough to make him preen.

“Thank you,” he returned instead, his voice rough to his own ears. “I wanted to make sure to impress.”

“Did you have a victim in mind?” she asked. “Someone in particular you wished to impress with the fit of your suit and your impressive footwork?”

“Victim?” It was almost eerie how accurate she was. “Why do you immediately assume it would be a victim?”

“So there is someone. Am I keeping you from them?”

“No,” he said, confused at the truth in his own answer. “If I didn’t know better, I’m half convinced I was looking for you all along.”

Something moved in her eyes as the song wrapped up, something he didn’t quite understand. Would she let him find out?

They bowed for the audience along with the other dancers and he turned back to her as the next song began.

“A perfect dance partner,” he said, lifting her hand to lay a kiss along her knuckles. “The balcony is open tonight. Would you join me for some fresh air?”

Her eyes lit with laughter, her lips parting on an inhale at his kiss. “I’d love to,” she answered with a small, secret smile.

***

Kouga didn’t waste any time. The longer they stood there, the higher the chance someone would attempt to cut in and steal her for a dance. It was a possibility he couldn’t risk. Ushering her off the dance floor and through the lingering groups talking along the side, he grabbed two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and showed her out to the balcony. The cooling air was crisp with the coming fall weather, the full moon bright and offering a great view of the twinkling stars.

He didn’t pay any attention to the other guests enjoying the slight breeze.

“So how do you know the Taishous?” he asked as he offered her a champagne.

She smiled before taking a sip. “Through a friend.”

“Which friend?”

“Ah,” she laughed, leaning slightly toward him, “answering that question will give away my identity. But that was probably why you asked, was it not?”

He grinned, not embarrassed in the slightest at being caught. He’d try any reasonable method to learn her name. “It was worth a shot.”

“Why don’t you tell me your name, hmm?” She was teasing and he was thrilled that she wanted to continue playing with him. “And then I’ll decide if I feel like sharing mine.”

“Is that how this works?” Kouga stepped closer, one hand moving around her waist to grip the balcony while the other held his glass. Oh, how he wanted to pull her close, memorize every way her body could fit against his. “I give you my name and you leave without giving me a single clue?”

She laughed.

“Or is it,” he added, his voice deepening, “that I have to give you something in order to get something from you?”

Her eyes danced, darkened, and he sipped his champagne.

“Not that we have to decide now,” he added, loving the chase. “We could let the conversation go where it may?”

She studied him silently as he finished his flute, the crystals on her dress flashing with the light bouncing from the chandeliers inside. “Do you create, mysterious warrior?” she asked softly, head tiling to the side and baring the long line of her neck.

“Warrior?” He couldn’t resist the curve, his eyes following the line even as he matched her tone shift.

“Your mask,” came the simple answer. “Sharp lines and metallic grays. It looks like armor.”

He smiled. She was right. “It’s based loosely off old findings, the beginnings of face plates and helmets.”

“It’s lovely. It fits your bone structure well and accents your jawline perfectly.”

That had been what he was going for, but just like her comment on his well-fitted tux, her observation was a delicate stroke to his ego. “I’m glad you find me to your liking.”

She blushed, this time the color flushing down her throat. How would that heated skin taste under his tongue?

“Yes, I do create,” he finally answered, circling back to her original question. “Do you?”

Her smile turned into a smirk and a thrill went through Kouga. “Is that how this will go, an answer for an answer?”

“Of course,” he grinned. “I can’t have you fishing out every detail of me and leaving me with nothing about you.”

“Do you really have nothing?” She gave him another smile, this one mischievous. “Nothing at all?”

It was a tease and he knew he couldn’t resist. “Not nothing, no, but not as near as much as I want.”

“Oh?” She smirked, leaned close, seemed to know the effect she had on him. “And what do you want?”

His grip on the guardrail tightened to keep from palming her waist. “I think you already know.”

She tapped her flute against his, smiling as the tinkle of glass faded. “I do create,” she answered, momentarily throwing him off. “Not as well as I’d like, but I don’t know what else I could do.”

“What do you create?” he asked, but she shook her head.

“Not your turn, is it?”

Kouga smirked, turning his back to the railing and nudging her in front of him. “Your turn, then.”

“If you could be anywhere in the world tomorrow, doing whatever you want with whoever you want, where would you be?”

A dozen answers flew through his head, some dark and dirty that might have her blush again. Others that were far too outrageous to pass as anything other than a poor attempt to hedge the question. He could laugh it off, he could throw out something else, but one answer in particular was the truth and no matter what happened with this woman after the night was over, he didn’t want to lie.

“I would be at my parents’ house,” he murmured softly, his voice turning somber, “having a cup of coffee with them on their patio. I’d tell them what I’ve made of my life, how much I love them, and that I’m grateful for what they left behind.”

She stilled, her eyes rounding as she listened in silence. There was a quirk to her lips; not a smile, but not a frown. Something respectful and full of sympathy. “Are they both gone?”

“Yes,” he swallowed, “and I’ll let you have that answer for free.”

That got him a small smile. “My father passed when I was seven. I have a few solid memories of him, and if I could, I would sit on the steps in the front of our old home, sharing a cinnamon bun while we read the comics in the paper together.”

Kouga couldn’t resist. He tugged her closer, his arm going around her back and enjoying the feel of her leaning against his chest. “I didn’t mean to dampen the mood,” he offered in apology, “but—“

She placed two fingers over his lips, effectively shutting him up. “Don’t apologize. I asked.”

He smiled, relaxing into her. “If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be and why is it right here with me?”

She laughed at that, exactly as he hoped. “Such an ego,” she purred, “thinking I would be here in these heels instead of in my pajamas on my couch.”

“Why your couch?” he asked. “You don’t know how comfortable mine is.”

“Do you have one?” she teased. “Or do you have a bachelor pad where the futon doubles as your bed?”

He laughed, the traces of sadness washing away. How easily she did that; it was a trait he hadn’t found before. Or maybe he just hadn’t allowed someone close enough to see. “You insist on thinking so lowly of me.”

“You make it all too easy,” she replied, settling against him. “Okay, I’ll bite. What kind of couch do you have?”

“Oh no,” he crooned. “It’s my turn for questions.”

“You just asked one!”

“No, no, that was you.” He leaned close, almost brushing the nose of her mask with his. “Asking about my bachelor pad.”

“That doesn’t count,” she insisted, exasperated.

“Totally does. It was a question.”

She huffed out a breath, rolling her eyes before meeting his gaze. “Fine, fine. Ask your question.”

“What kind of pajamas?” he murmured, his voice dropping deep and turning husky.

Her jaw dropped open in surprise. “You did _not_ have to ask it like that!”

Kouga flashed her a grin. “Like what?”

“All— all— all sexy and perverted!” Her blush flared anew, rushing down her neck and out toward her ears. His mouth watered at the thought of tracing it further. “Like you’re imagining me in something I probably don’t even own.”

“I’m not imagining anything,” he lied, knowing she wouldn’t be fooled in the slightest. “I’m just curious. You seemed to have an idea in your head when you answered.”

“Yeah, right.” Her chest moved with her heavy breaths and Kouga almost thought he could see her pulse beating at her neck. “You probably had a dirty picture in your mind. Something with lots of strings that don’t stay in place.”

“Well, now you’re just giving me ideas.” He loved how she reacted when he pitched his voice low. “But you haven’t answered.”

“It’s not important.”

“Or,” his voice was a growl as he considered a new possibility, “maybe you’re the one thinking about something sexy.”

Her lips parted and her lashes fluttered. _Bullseye_. But before he could expand on the thought, she leaned in fractionally closer.

“I wasn’t,” she said softly, her eyes darting back and forth between his, “until you said something.”

His breath caught. “What are you thinking of now?”

Her eyes sharpened, a smirk grew on her lips, and Kouga almost thought she was raising an eyebrow. “It’s not your turn.”

He stopped, completely thrown by her. _What?_ Slowly, pulling his thoughts away from all the images of her in silk and lace and satin, he reviewed their conversation. “You little tease,” he said, his own grin growing.

“Don’t play the game if you can’t stand to lose.” She traced her beautifully manicured index finger down the fold of his suit collar. “But to make it fair, I was originally thinking of a tank top and shorts. Nothing too extravagant.”

“What—“

That finger tapped against his lips. “Ah, ah, ah.”

Smiling, he nipped it, liking the little gasp that parted her lips when his teeth hit her skin. To Kouga’s disappointment she pulled away, but at least her hand returned to his collar.

“Are you done playing twenty questions?” she asked, her eyes narrowing on his lips.

They tingled under her gaze. “That depends — are you?”

The silence stretched between them and he let it. He wasn’t going to push her into anything and as much as he wanted to spend the entire night getting to know everything he could about her, she had to want that too.

“I think…” She pulled back a little and even though he didn’t want to, Kouga released his hold on her. “I’ve never done this before.”

“Talked with a stranger?”

She huffed. “Made the first move with a man.”

His back straightened at that, a blast of heat sweeping down him at the possibilities her words made.

“I’m pretty certain I’m reading you right,” she said slowly, her gaze darting from him to her empty champagne flute and back. Kouga gave her all the time she needed. “And while I don’t know you, I think…”

She carefully set the flute on the railing, pulled in a breath, then placed both her hands on his chest and leaned in.

“I think I really, _really_ want to know how you taste.”


	4. Chapter 3: "Oh no no no no, dead broad OFF the table!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting early because I need a little happiness today. We'll return to our scheduled weekly updates on Friday.

She tasted of champagne and adventure, a taste he couldn’t get enough of. Careful of the crystals on her dress — Ayame would skin him alive if anything happened to the gown — Kouga palmed her back and pulled her close, groaning at the feel of her body pressing into his. Her breasts against his chest, her hips the perfect shape along his thighs, her hands tracing his shoulders and delving into his hair. How he wanted her splayed out on his bed wearing nothing but that look in her eyes as he explored her body with his tongue.

The kiss ended and a sound of complaint came from her throat and Kouga grinned as he continued exploring her.

“Too much?” he asked as he mouthed along the line of her jaw.

“Not enough,” she panted, her fingers gripping his hair and her neck arching to give him perfect access to a deliciously sensitive spot under her ear.

“The things I want to do to you,” he growled before nipping at her ear. Her breath caught, her hand spasmed, and he did it again. “If I could talk you into my home, I’d never let you leave.”

Her laugh was breathy and sexy and everything he wanted to hear. “Who says we have to leave?”

His hands froze in their exploration of her back, his teeth pausing over the pulse in her neck, and a shudder stole down his spine when her lips brushed his ear.

“I’m certain we could find a secluded spot right here.”

Kouga jerked up, eyes already looking around as he wracked his brain for any possible closet he could pull her into. Closet? God, no. He wasn’t going to find rose petals and silk sheets, but he could do a whole hell of a lot better than a _closet_.

“Come here,” she said, her voice low and husky and her eyes dark as she took his hand. “I have an idea.”

It wasn’t normally in him to follow random strangers, but she wasn’t a stranger. No, not when he knew what she sounded like when he sucked at her neck. Not when he knew how much she liked to map out his chest with her palms. Not when he knew that her eyes sparkled just before she teased and her nose wrinkled when she was trying not to laugh and her hand fit so perfectly in his.

Following the mystery woman, he ignored the people, the decorations, the party as she led him out of the main hall. Down a flight of stairs they went, the sounds of the ball slowly dimming as they stepped onto the ground floor. A few guests had also sought the quieter atmosphere, couples scattered around in darker corners. While Kouga knew they had the right idea, it was still a far cry from the privacy he wanted.

Down another hallway, though another room, and then she turned into a small, dark alcove. She looked over her shoulder, a mischievous smile on her lips as she checked to see they were alone. “You don’t see anything,” she murmured before dipping her fingers into her cleavage.

Trying not to stare and completely failing, Kouga watched in growing fascination as she pulled out a small key and used that to open the door.

“What—”

She pulled him inside, shutting them in before pressing his body against the closed door. “It helps to have friends,” came her quiet response before she balanced herself against his chest and rose up to capture a kiss.

This woman might have caught him by surprise at first, but he didn’t sit frozen for long. One hand on her nape, the other gripping her jaw and angling her face, and then he was sweeping his tongue though her lips for another taste of decadence. How he could have found her, this wonderful, beautiful specimen who fit him so perfectly among the sea of strangers. He’d have to thank Izayoi the next time he saw the woman. He suckled on her bottom lip before finally managing to pull back and see just what room they were in.

There were desks arranged into three small workstations around the room, a few filing cabinets, sketches all over the walls, and a larger conference table at the other end. Smiling at the idea of laying her over the table, Kouga gripped her hips and guided her back through the dark room.

“You look like you have an idea,” she said, trusting him to keep her from falling while her fingers undid his belt.

“Oh, I might,” he groaned, his cock hardening at the feel of her lithe fingers stroking over the skin of his stomach. “I’ve had a lot of thoughts about eating you up all night. It fits to serve you as my own personal buffet.”

Her breath hitched, her fingers stuttered, then a little moan bubbled from her lips. Fuck, if he wasn’t already getting hard, he was definitely there now. That sound was stunningly sexy and he could only imagine what other sounds he might convince her to make.

Her legs bumped the table right before he stopped, angling around to check the door.

“It’s locked.” She undid the button on his slacks and attacked the zipper. “Only way in is with a key.”

If she got her hands on him, he just might ruin his pants. Gripping her hips, he lifted her onto the table, stepping in between her thighs as he sat her on the edge. A kiss was all he needed to catch her attention and lay her back on the table. Her hands gripped the sides of his jacket, her tongue stroked along his, and he nipped her lips before pulling back to look down at her.

She looked magnificent splayed out over the table. Her braid trailed across her bare collarbones, her breasts lifting with each breath she took, and her darkening eyes focused on him through her glittering mask. The urge to push that mask off her face was a strong one, but he resisted.

No names, not yet.

_Not yet._

Pulling his thoughts back to the present, he started at her heels, gently gathering the fabric as he smoothed his palm over the straps holding the shoe in place. Bringing one up, he enjoyed the flash of leg that came from the fabric falling, her eyes stormy and her breath hitching as he placed the heel of her stiletto on his shoulder. Kouga couldn’t resist pressing kisses along the satiny skin of her ankle and grinned at the sigh she gave.

Running his lips along the line of her calf up her knee and then her thigh, Kouga kept his gaze fixed on hers as he carefully lifted her dress’s full skirt. She swallowed as he drew nearer, her hands fisting onto the edge of the table when he finally reached his goal.

She was so pretty. A teeny, tiny scrap of beige fabric hid her, already damp and pressed against smooth skin. His lips skimmed along the crease of her thigh before he nudged her underwear aside with his nose. Oh, what a sight he uncovered. So wet, so ready, so absolutely perfect, he groaned as he slid his tongue up the seam, all the way until he gently sucked her clit between his lips.

Her hips bucked off the table. He held her still as she fisted her hand in his hair and the next suckle pulled a breathy, arousing moan from her. Kouga had to hear it again. Nibbling, suckling, licking all over, he focused where her reactions grew, the spots that brought shivers up her legs, the pressure that spilled more of her juices. When he finally slid a finger in, she moaned deep in her throat and tightened around him. God, she was so sexy. So stunning. So wet and warm and absolutely beautiful, how could he ever get enough of her?

Her legs trembled, one heel pressing into his back as he took his time tasting and stretching her. Sweet and musky, he followed her cues until she was dripping down his palm. Her moans were getting louder, her breaths harsher, her nails scratched his scalp in a brand he wanted to wear forever, and when she quivered around his fingers, he drew back.

“No—!”

Her protest was immediate and he couldn’t help but smile. Giving her clit one last suckling kiss, he used the distraction to fish a condom out of his wallet, ripped open the packet, and quickly rolled it on. Standing up, he gripped her hips and pulled her closer, lining his cock up against her wet, puffy lips.

“Yes?” he asked, sliding against her clit, making sure she still wanted this as much as he did.

Dark eyes blazed in desire. One hand gripped his tie and pulled him down, giving him no choice but to follow. Even with their clothing in the way, he loved the feel of her body beneath his. What he would give to feel her skin to skin. To feel the curve of her waist against his, the tips of her breasts on his chest, the slide of her thighs along his hips.

Maybe he’d have her leave the heels on.

She continued pulling until he was practically on top of her, pressed as close to her as he could from hips to chest. Her tongue licked along his lips in a teasing caress. “Fuck me,” she whispered against his mouth and the demand sent a rush through him. “Now.”

Smiling, Kouga propped himself on the table with one hand, the other gripping the base of his shaft and shifting. Pressing against her entrance, he watched her as he slowly slid in. The first hitch in her breath was arousing, then the deep moan that followed almost had him thrusting in. But he didn’t. Keeping that slow, steady pace, he focused on watching her enjoy the first feel of him inside her.

Her back arched underneath him. Her legs wrapped around his hips. One hand went back into his hair and the other gripped his arm. Curls were spilling from the intricate braids and her lips parted on a keening cry when he finished the slide, filling her entirely.

His hips twitched, his cock pulsed. God, she was so warm, so wet, so fucking perfect. A velvet glove holding him tight and he had the erratic thought of spending forever right there.

“Please,” she panted. “Oh, you feel so good.”

His voice was gravel when he responded. “You feel fucking perfect.”

Her legs tightened and she shifted her hips in a small thrust. Kouga chuckled, finding pleasure at how little control this position gave her. She couldn’t get the right angle to move and he was discovering just how much he enjoyed this.

“God, please, _move_.”

He kissed her and rewarded her pleas with a shift of his hips, pulling out just as slowly as he first pushed in. It felt amazing this way, controlling he tempo and tasting her moans on his tongue. Perfect. Better than he could have imagined. He followed that rhythm, slow and deep and teasing them both, but he could handle this tease. Especially when it was mixed with her increasing demands.

Every attempt she made to get him to move faster was ignored. Maybe later — if he got incredibly lucky that there _was_ a later — they could have a quicker round. This time? This first time with her? He was going to savor it. Enjoy it. Take his time and relish every bit of pleasure he could before the end of the night stole this woman away.

Her dress bunched up between them and his suit jacket was creasing, but Kouga didn’t care. All he focused on was her. Her moans, her erratic breaths that pressed her chest against his, the squeeze of her fingers on his shoulder, her heels pressing into his back, her internal muscles quivering around his shaft. Slow and steady movements enhanced them all, drew out sharper reactions, and gave him time to enjoy each one of them.

He adapted to her. Angling his hips a certain way had her hand spasming. Grinding his pelvis down on hers with every slide in had her clenching around him. Nibbling along her shoulder, collar bone, and up her neck to her jaw had her meeting him for a searing kiss that threatened to steal his sanity. She gave him control as he moved over her and in her and he did everything he could to reward her for it.

“ _Oh_ ,” she gasped when one of his thrusts shifted just right. “Right there. Dear God, right there.”

Teeth sank into her bottom lip and her legs held him tight. His breath caught as he watched her.

“Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop,” she chanted before her voice cut out on a sharp cry, her hand fisted in his hair, her legs shook. And then she shattered. Gripping his cock in a vice, a high sigh on her lips, and her back arched as her head dropped back onto the table.

It was beautiful.

He continued grinding, prolonging her orgasm as long as he could and loving the feel of her spasming around him. She was so wet and so tight, when her legs loosened, he couldn’t keep from thrusting. Hard.

“ _Yes_ ,” she cried and he did it again. Another thrust, another hard slam of his hips into hers and just that quickly, he was driving her through another orgasm, this one hard, fast, relentless. The slow rhythm of before was gone as he pushed himself off the table, gripping her hips in his hands and fucking her thoroughly. The slap of skin resounded through the room and he would never forget how she looked right there, hips shifting and riding with him through the middle of an orgasm.

His was coming and he didn’t fight it. Couldn’t even consider it with how she was still squeezing him. Kouga wanted to join her, wanted to feel her tighten around him during his own spasms, wanted to feel her pleasure right alongside his.

“Fuck,” he grunted, slamming into her and groaning as the first wave hit. He dropped over her, nuzzling into her neck as he came. And came. Spurt after spurt timed with each one of his lingering thrusts until he sank into her completely and collapsed over top of her.

His heart thudded in his chest and all he could hear was her breathing as it began to slow. Fingers carded through his hair and he kissed the skin he could reach until he found the energy to lift himself up enough to find her lips.

It was a slow kiss, one that tasted of sated pleasure. He’d have to get up soon and toss out the condom, but he was in no hurry to move. Unless she wanted him to.

“Are you okay?” he rasped in a low voice, his hand smoothing over the spot on her hip he had gripped hard during the end.

“Perfect,” she breathed, kissing the corning of his mouth. “Absolutely perfect.”


	5. Chapter 4: "Oh, this is another one of those onion things, isn't it?" "No, this is one of those drop it and leave it alone things!"

He helped her off the table, stepping back to give her room to find her balance. She was so cute as she held onto him to steady herself, then checked her dress, her hair, and her mask.

Was this it? It couldn’t be. Not yet, not before he tried everything he could. Touching a finger underneath her chin, he waited until she met his gaze before bending and kissing her. Soft and slow, the complete opposite of most the kisses they’d shared that night. Something that maybe told her without words that he didn’t want this to be the end.

Her eyes were shining when he pulled back.

“Can I see you again?” he asked, voice soft in the quiet room.

She blinked up at him. “You want to?”

The uncertainty in her voice unnerved him. Why would she think otherwise? “Of course.”

“You don’t have to lie,” she hedged. “You won’t hurt—”

“I’m not lying.” How could she think that? “Let me prove it.”

A faint buzzing sound interrupted whatever she was going to say. Kouga watched in amusement as she reached for the small pocket Ayame hid at the right hip disguised by a perfect fold of fabric and pulled out a phone.

“You have another pocket?” he asked carefully, letting a tease ride over his uncertainty that she might not want to know his name.

“Yeah,” she smiled. “Selling point of the dress, but I didn’t want to risk losing the key if I had to get my phone.”

He could imagine a line forming between her eyebrows as she looked at the screen.

“What the…” Sliding her thumb across the glass, she held it to her ear. “Hello?”

The sounds from the other end were too soft for him to make out, but his heart sank as he watched the color drain from her face.

“What? When?”

Something was wrong and Kouga didn’t have the right to ask. They might have just had the best sex of his life, but that didn’t mean she had to share anything else with him.

“Is he okay? Have you heard from the doctor?”

Stepping back, he cleared the way for her through the room, opening the door and checking to see if the coast was clear.

“I can be there in fifteen minutes,” she said as she followed him out the door. “Why didn’t you call me earlier?”

The door shut and locked behind them and Kouga waited to see what she needed to do.

“I would have left in a heartbeat if I knew he was going to the hospital!”

The next breath he took was painful, but he ignored it.

“No, no, it’s okay. I’ll get a car. It shouldn’t take me long. Love you, too, I’ll be there soon.” The call was over and it took a split second for her to make another one as she began walking down the hall. “Sorry, I know it’s early, but I have to get to the hospital. I’m heading out to the front right now. I should be there in a minute.”

A few taps on her phone and then she sent her next sentence to Kouga. “I have to go.”

She was moving as fast as she could in her heels and Kouga kept right beside her.

“I had a great time meeting you,” she said quickly as she hit the stairs. “Enjoy the rest of the party.”

“Is it family?” he asked, the first words he could pick out from the jumbled mess in his head.

“My grandfather.”

“Is he okay?”

She turned to him, eyes bright with unshed tears behind her mask. “I don’t know. He fell down the stairs. My mom is there with him now.”

Kouga followed her down another hallway that circled around the ball room and would take them straight to the entrance with little traffic. “Can I see you again?” Some kind of emotion had her lips tightening and he rushed to add, “You can say no. I’ll respect that. I know this isn’t good timing.”

The entrance were coming up fast and Kouga’s heart sank with each step. As soon as they reached the doors, she would be gone.

“I—” Her phone buzzed in her hand. She paused long enough to answer it. “I’m coming outside right now.”

One of the staff members stepped in for her, opening the door and Kouga saw the flash of car lights coming up the drive. He was already asking too much, already being too selfish. Just because they hit it off didn’t mean he had any right to pull her focus from an emergency.

He watched from the top step of the museum as she made her way down to the street, managing not to trip or falter at all. He watched the driver jump out to he car and open the rear door. Watched the driver help her into the car. It was probably his mind seeing what he wanted to see, but he watched her look back, her mask still sparkling from the lights.

Then the door closed, the driver slid back into the car, and she was gone.

***

Inuyasha found him forty-three minutes later. Kouga had moved from the front entrance of the museum, finding a dark, quiet spot down toward the corner. The waitstaff kept track of him, periodically stopping by to bring him drinks or choices of food. The scotch in his hand was his fourth when he gained company.

Even wearing a mask, Inuyasha was still identifiable. He always would be. Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Touga — they could never be overlooked. Never fade into the crowd and never be mistaken for anyone else.

Funny how something Kouga never cared for would be something he was jealous of now.

“Why are you scaring the staff?” Inuyasha asked, his own drink in his hand.

“I’m not scaring anyone,” Kouga answered, voice flat and little hollow. “I’m just having a drink while enjoying the air.”

Inuyasha didn’t say anything, letting the words fall as he leaned against the balcony next to Kouga. His drink was clear, a surprising change from his usual spiced rum. “You’ve never been this far from the dance floor before.”

Kouga grunted. “Are you worried about my sex life?”

“No, but I am worried about you.”

He didn’t respond to that. There wasn’t anything to say.

“Did something happen?” When Kouga still didn’t answer, Inuyasha tried again. “Mom said they introduced you to someone.”

“They introduced me to a lot of people.”

Even through the heavy silence that followed and the fog in his head, Kouga knew that wasn’t a convincing lie.

“You really think after all these years,” Inuyasha turned to him, the weight of his gaze almost a physical blow, “I’m not going to know when you’re bullshitting about my parents?”

He blew out a breath, let his shoulders drop. Why he even tried to lie, he didn’t know. Inuyasha always saw right through him.

“Mom said they introduced you to one. Dad said you two danced and danced and danced and then disappeared. Then Mom said one of the staff found you out here.” Inuyasha took a sip, seemingly choosing his next words carefully. “So what did you say to the pretty girl dressed up as a bird to have her banish you out here all by yourself?”

“You saw her?”

“What?”

“You saw her? Dressed as a bird?” Another sip, another breath, another wave of disbelief. “Saw her dress?”

“How could I not with Ayame watching her dance like a hawk?” Inuyasha turned, elbow on the balcony and faced Kouga. “She wanted to make sure you didn’t step on it.”

Kouga shook his head, the small dig that would normally coax him to an argument missing its mark entirely. “She left.”

Inuyasha apparently didn’t anticipate that, his spine snapping straight as he pushed off the balcony. “She what?”

“She left.” Kouga drained the rest of his glass, wondering if he should get another. “Got a call. Emergency. Someone in the hospital. She left before I could get a name.” He waved his empty tumbler out toward the drive as cars and limos started picking up guests. “Climbed in a black car and drove away.”

It was stupid — _stupid_ — to be hurt over her choice. How selfish did he have to be? Someone she loved dearly was in the hospital and Kouga was feeling sorry that she didn’t want to spend the night with him? He looked at his empty glass. Did it have to be the last one? What would another hurt?

“The hospital?” Inuyasha’s voice rose in panic, surprising Kouga. Why would Inuyasha be concerned about a stranger’s emergency? “Did she say who?”

Kouga shrugged, watching as dress after dress slid into the limos, none of which were as pretty as the one he designed. _Ayame_ designed. He helped. A little.

Shit, he was a mess.

“Kouga.” Inuyasha’s hand gripped his shoulder, pulling him to face the man. “Which hospital?”

“I don’t know,” he spat. “I don’t even know her _name_. All I heard was that she would be there in fifteen minutes and that she would have left me in an instant if she knew he was in the hospital.”

Inuyasha’s body went noticeably still, his eyes narrowing, but Kouga was already off on his subtly slurred rant.

“Which she _should_ be. Why waste her time with me? Did you see her? Did you see how stunning she was? She was made to wear that dress even if she wasn’t the one I—“

Oh no. _Kagome_.

Kouga blinked, a wave of shock washing away some of the fog. His glass slipped from his fingers and clattered onto the floor. The same night he found out Kagome was single and free for him to get to know, to maybe get to date, he’d fucked a stranger on a conference table.

Fuck.

“Kouga.” Inuyasha looked up at him, steadying him. “How much have you had to drink?”

What did it even matter? He designed a dress for someone who was dating someone else. He watched her, wanted her, kept up with every outing she had with Inuyasha — his _friend_ for fucks sake — all while wanting her for his own. And then when his wildest dream came true and she was completely free and clear and he wouldn’t be stepping on Inuyasha’s toes if he flirted with her, he seduced the woman wearing the dress Kagome was supposed to wear.

No wonder his mystery woman ran without a second thought. What kind of catch was he?

“Kouga!” Inuyasha shook him, the crackle of his name breaking him out of his thoughts. Those amber eyes bored into Kouga, searching out something Kouga couldn’t give him.

When Inuyasha spoke again, it was in a much softer voice. “Come on. Let’s get some water in you and then we’ll get you home.”

***

The studio was dark when arrived three mornings later. Ayame was off at a brunch with the Taishous and the rest of the staff were working at the main office. With no fittings, there would be no people. Just Kouga and his textiles, his hands, his mind, his art, and the weight of guilt sitting on his shoulders.

All weekend had been a nightmare. The ball — the amazing, wonderful ball — was stuck on repeat in his head. Every second he had with his mystery woman, every glance, every smile, every laugh and tease and sparkle in her eye. The way her hand fit in his and how she followed him while dancing. The crease of her lips when she teased him and flush of her neck when he teased back. He wanted to relive everything from the moment he first saw her to the last kiss he dropped on her lips.

He wanted to take her home, discover her name, make her breakfast the next morning. He wanted to learn about her life and figure out how he would fit in it. He wanted so much with her, but all of that was shadowed by his feelings for Kagome.

Kouga locked the door behind him and didn’t bother flicking on the lights at the front. There were orders that needed to be made, commissions to design, and designs to start, but Kouga had no thought for those. Moving past his small office that held his drawing table, he went straight to the textile room. Swatches of fabric covered the space, ranging in almost every fabric imaginable and in more colors than he’d ever worked with. Flicking on the light, he cast a slow glance around the room. Something would catch his eye and then he’d have a starting point.

It was easier to work this way when there was so much on his mind. He had no ideas that weren’t doused in worry — worry for whoever was in the hospital, worry that she got there safe, worry that she would never think of him again. But when he wasn’t thinking of her, his thoughts were full of Kagome. In little things like a cup off coffee in the morning, knowing she liked that same coffee shop whenever Inuyasha had a fitting. Or how she would stop sometimes to study a particular sketch or view or sunset, almost like she were picking out which colors she was going to use in her next painting.

If he kept seeing Kagome in the world while seeing the mystery woman in his work, he was going to go crazy. The thought of it all killed every idea he had about finding the mystery woman. How could he look for her when he was still thinking about someone else — when he didn’t want to stop thinking about someone else?

Ayame had already snapped at him for growling at every person who entered the office. _You’re being an ass!_ she’d yelled at him after snatching her designs away. _You’ve been yelling at everyone for no reason, so figure out what has you in such a bear of a mood and fix it!_

Designing had always been his escape, so rather than sit at home making comparisons between Kagome and the mystery woman, he looked for any scrap of inspiration that might come to him. There were so many to choose from, but he knew he would zero into one sooner or later.

A shimmer kept drawing his eyes back to the same collection of ivory. They were mostly for wedding which hadn’t been his intention, but the idea was starting to take root. Wedding gowns were difficult. Complications all over the gown trying to make sure there were textures in the sea of white on white on white while also making certain not to repeat the same themes they’d seen over the last decade. Normally, it was one of his least favorite challenges, but right now it was the perfect distraction to the mess in his life.

There was no way to think about anything else while designing a wedding dress.

The swatch that caught his eye was ivory tulle with a delicate embroidered design. A little sparse, but enough to keep the eye moving. Pulling it out carefully, he could see the delicacy of the background. Draping it would cause all sorts of movement to the eye and Kouga had his starting point. Now what to pair it with?

There was a matching lace design that could work well and he grabbed it, but none of the other swatches were working for him. It would go with a great many different fabrics, but every time he compared, it didn’t feel right. Over and over, many colors and bases and fabrics and nothing. He needed to find something; it wasn’t like he could make a gown just from the—

Kouga looked back at the tulle in his hand and carefully folded it over itself. It was sheer, but it would layer. And if he layered the lace over a simple nude bodice for the bust, he could make the rest of the dress using just the tulle. Something light and clean that shifted with the light, hiding everything it almost bared.

It was a thought.

Textiles in hand, he made his way to the small office. With a starting point, he might be able to sketch something out. Throwing on the light and closing the door, Kouga cleaned everything off the table except a sketchpad, his pencils, and the fabric.

And stared at the blank page.

He’d already helped create a dress. Ayame had the main design down, but asked for his input. From the first moment he saw the initial sketch, he knew who he wanted to wear it. Designing for Kagome had been easy, even if he was the only one who knew. But how could he design for Kagome again when flashes of blue and silver danced in his head?

Plus, it was different now. Kagome was single. It was one thing to design for a hypothetical dream but—

Kouga groaned, dropping his head to the desk. They were both hypothetical dreams. The mystery woman was dealing with too much to think about a fling at a ball and Kagome deserved better than someone who would completely forget her at the sight of a well-fitted gown.

He looked back at the tulle, tracing the embroidery with his eyes. He had a dress. A wedding dress. Something beautiful and airy and stunning. The reveal in a fairy tale when the prince finally found his princess and the princess’s dreams became true.

It would flow, he realized as he picked up his pencil. Long lines that gave off the feeling that a woman was floating. Fitted at the bust down to the bottom of the hip— _No_. He flipped the page. That didn’t work right. Fitted from bust to the top of the hip? Another new page. Fitted to waist, then A-lines down to the floor.

That looked right.

Glancing back up at the swatch, he added more lines. More layers. More to hide the shadows and creases but show off the flash of skin along the outer hip. Blending up the torso and arms, maybe up to the shoulders.

His hand moved, lines appearing before being erased and fixed, three more pages of corrections and a dress forming before his eyes. The details of the tulle would be difficult to align with the lace, but once they did it would be perfect.

Perfect for a woman who wore it and perfect for the man who deserved her.


	6. Chapter 5: "You're so wrapped up in layers, onion boy, you're afraid of your own feelings!"

“Kouga?” Ayame’s voice rang through the studio, pulling Kouga from his emails. “Did you place an order?”

His fabric arrived. Pushing away from the desk, he made his way out to the reception. It was only him and Ayame there today, most of the staff working remotely as they picked up the gowns and tuxes they rented out for the ball. Orders in his emails had been enough to keep him busy, but not enough to keep the wedding gown from his thoughts.

Having ordered it personally, he understood the confusion on Ayame’s face at the delivery she was holding. They always ordered in bulk, waiting until the final design choices were made for multiple items before buying. It was uncommon for single bolts of fabric to arrive at the studio.

“I did.” He took the package straight back to the fitting area before opening it, a curious Ayame on his heels.

“Why?” she asked, clearing one of the tables for him. “What is it for?”

“You remember yelling at me last week?”

“After you were a dick to Yuka? Of course.” She waited patiently as he carefully opened the package. “No one deserves to suffer from whatever crawled up your ass and died.”

“I took your advice and started sketching. That sketch became a design and now, I want to create it.”

The tulle was stunning. So soft in his hands, he carefully laid it over the table. The way it layered was gorgeous, the different folds and seams catching his eye. It was even more perfect than he imagined. And the _lace_. Delicate and perfect and matched the tulle exactly.

“Is that design a wedding dress?” Ayame joked.

It was common knowledge that Kouga hated designing anything concerning weddings and he was expecting the question. Still, he didn’t say anything, instead lifting a piece of the fabric over the form that stood in the center.

“Kouga.” Her tone shifted to one of incredulity. “Are you actually making a wedding dress?”

“The designs are in the top right drawer of my desk,” he said instead of answering, mind whirling with ideas of how to make his dream come to life.

He had a vague awareness of Ayame leaving and coming back, her footsteps the only sound in the quiet building. The embroidery was as delicate on the bolts as it had been on the swatch. And it should have been. He paid a pretty penny for it to be made and shipped in such a hurry. It was worth it, though. Anything to keep him from spiraling into obsessions he couldn’t control.

“This is a wedding dress.” Ayame walked right to him, slid under his arm and poked his chest. “A _wedding dress_. You don’t _do_ wedding dresses.”

“I’ve done them before,” he answered.

“Yes, before you hired _me_. Since then, you haven’t touched them!”

“It seemed like a good challenge.”

She leafed through the pages, looking at the different angles he’d already planned. “When you want a challenge, you pick up one of Sesshoumaru’s cuff links and design around that. You don’t pick out a wedding dress.”

He could see that he wouldn’t be getting anywhere until he gave her the answer she was looking for. “It took my mind off the ball.”

Ayame stopped rustling the pages, waiting in silence as he draped the lace over the figure’s shoulder. When he looked at her, she had a different look on her face. Hurt, almost. “The ball?”

“Inuyasha didn’t tell you?” he grunted. Taking the pages from her, he laid them out on the table. “I’m thinking we should start with the bust. When that’s done, we can match the embroidery with the fall of the skirt. From there, we can add the sheer back panels and work up to the sleeves.”

She was very quiet as she followed him, the tilt of her head telling him she was finally studying the design. Looking at it as a designer instead of a wearer.

Or thinking something else entirely. She always looked like that when she was lost in thought.

“You want the embroidery to flow from the bust through the skirt?” Her voice was oddly soft.

“Yes.”

“Hmm.” Touching the lace, she considered. “And you want to make the bust out of a nude fabric?”

“Yes.” Shuffling through the pages, he found what he was looking for. “We’d tailor it down the torso and put the transition from bust to skirt in the base.”

“So then we would just have to lay the lace over the transition after it’s been completed,” she finished for him, seeing where he was going. Her fingers traced the lines down to the floor, then back up to the sleeves. She tapped the shoulder. “Is this going to be the sheer or the lace?”

“Sheer until here,” Kouga pointed at the small distinction he sketched. “I’m thinking we can add in some embroidery along the connection of the two to help it flow better.”

Ayame didn’t say anything for a long time, finally standing back up and looking back and forth between the sketches, the lace, and the figure. “Kouga, this is a complicated dress.”

“It’s a wedding gown.”

“But even by wedding standards, this is complicated.”

He shrugged. “It’s a challenge. Nothing we can’t figure out.”

When she looked at him, he almost turned away. Something in those clear green eyes of hers was telling, like she knew every single word he wasn’t saying.

“Are you designing this for someone?”

It was a punch to the gut. Kouga breathed in, forcing his body to relax. “No.”

Her head tilted. “Really?”

“Do we know anyone getting married?” he asked, his voice turning rough.

“Well, yes,” she fired back suddenly, heat laced in her words. “ _Me_. But this dress isn’t for me because we haven’t even talked about my engagement!”

Her words were hot and sharp and deadly, catching him so completely off guard, he wasn’t prepared for it. Her wedding? Her engagement? _Her engagement._ The one he learned about at the ball. The one she’d been hiding from everyone. The one he spoke to the Taishous about before spiraling down a guilt-ridden hole.

His friend and designer had been engaged for a week and he hadn’t said a single word about it.

“I’ve been a self-centered bastard, haven’t I?”

She didn’t say anything, but her nose started to turn that red it always did when he thought she might cry.

Pulling her into a hug, Kouga tucked her head under his chin. “I’m sorry.” How could he have forgotten to talk to her about her engagement? Her relationship? “I’m really happy for you, even if I’m annoyed you didn’t tell me.”

“I didn’t tell anyone,” came her muffled reply. “No one would have been able to keep that secret for as long as we needed to.”

“I don’t hold it against you,” he said, running a hand down her back in a soothing gesture. “It was smart.”

“It sucked.”

He hummed, not unaware of how straining that could be. Watching someone you loved fake date a friend in public? Ayame was far stronger than him. “Did you guys fight a lot?”

“Not in the beginning.” Her arms tightened around him, then fell lax. “But the last couple months…”

Kouga pulled back and looked at her. Her nose was red, her cheeks were splotchy, and one of her tears managed to escape down her cheek. He gently wiped the tear away with his thumb and gave her a smile. “And now? Is it better?”

Her smile was everything he wanted to see.

“It explains your moods over the last year.”

She nodded. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”

“I’m sorry I ignored you.”

She nodded again, smiling just slightly. She might be forgiving now, but he’d have to do better to not forget his friends again.

“So now you’re getting married,” he teased. “Have you guys set a date yet?”

“Not yet. We’re finalizing the guest list with his parents and then we’ll look at venues. From there, we’ll see what dates are available.”

Her eyes were clearing, but he was still an ass. “I really should have talked to you about this last week. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay—”

“It’s really not.” His mouth quirked in a crooked smile. “I appreciate you taking it easy on me, but that doesn’t excuse it.”

She smiled in return, then patted his shoulder. “I knew you’d figure it out eventually.”

Ayame pulled away and Kouga watched her go to the restroom. He heard the sound of the tap and turned back to his design, his stomach churning with turmoil. Was it so important, this dress? Ayame was getting married, would actually need a dress. And she’d wanted a ballgown since he first met her. He should table this one and focus on his friend. Maybe get started on Inuyasha’s tux so the man could finally look good.

He was gathering up the tulle when Ayame came back, her huff of breath catching his attention.

“What are you doing?” she asked, rushing over to unload the fabric from his arms.

“Putting this away,” he said, releasing his grip to keep from tearing the embroidery. “I can do this later when I don’t have a wedding dress for you to design.”

When those green eyes looked up at him this time, they were hard as emeralds. “Oh no, you don’t,” she snarled. “We have another six months before I even have to _consider_ dress designs.”

“Six months?”

“We’re not in a rush to get married just yet and you’ve been off since the ball. So if making this dress helps you not be a ass to everyone you meet, then we’re going to make this dress.”

He blinked, a wavering wash of unexpected affection covering him. “Ayame, you don’t have—”

“I don’t _have_ to do anything with your mopey ass,” she said as she gathered measuring tapes, scissors, and pins, “but I don’t like seeing you wallowing in whatever bad thing happened. So we’re going to make this dress and you’re going to tell me everything that happened at the ball.”

“Surely Inuyasha told you—”

“ _You_ are my friend, are you not?”

He didn’t have an argument to that one.

“Inuyasha and I are going to talk, yes, but if it’s your life, I still want to talk to you.” She looked up, already grabbing three pins and putting two between her teeth. “So start talking.”

“Where do you want me to start?”

The look she threw him spoke volumes of her current impression of his intelligence. “The beginning.”

***

“Please tell me you went home last night.”

Ayame was standing in the doorway, carrying a drink holder with two cups of coffee in one hand and a box of doughnuts in the other.

Kouga ignored her question, instead stopping to reach for the coffee he knew was his. Of course he went home after she practically kicked him out of his building. She’d know that as soon as she looked at what he was wearing.

He might be a little off kilter on some things, but purposefully wearing the same set of clothes two days in a row was _not_ one of them.

“Let me rephrase,” she dumped the doughnuts on a free table and took a sip of her coffee, “please tell me you went home and slept.”

“I got a whole six hours, thank you very much.”

She looked at her watch. Kouga was always amused how Ayame’s calculations were plain on her face when she did anything related to numbers. “Okay, then you only just beat me here?”

He pulled out a chair for her to sit in, then sat himself in the remaining one. He got here early to continue working on the dress, but after hearing Ayame’s car decided breakfast wouldn’t hurt.

“This is probably the fastest you’ve ever put together a gown,” she said as she popped open the box, grabbing a chocolate sprinkle doughnut. “You know you _can_ take a break.”

He grabbed his own plain glazed and took a bite.

“It’s been a week?”

“Eighteen days since I ordered the fabric.”

“Right, but you ordered the fabric before you finished the design.”

Kouga shrugged.

“Kouga?” The shift in her tone told him she wasn’t asking about his energy level. “You know you don’t have to hole yourself up like this. You can ask me who I fitted for that dress.”

He finished his doughnut and swallowed it down with more of his coffee. Ayame was easy to talk to, but this wasn’t something he wanted to admit. After the first conversation, she hadn’t said much. Why would she bring it up now?

“I could check with her privately and see if she’s open to meet.” It was a goading statement. “It’s really not difficult.”

“It’s not that simple,” he finally answered, soaking up the warmth of the coffee with his hands.

“It could be if you just asked.”

Kouga dusted off his shirt. There were no crumbs, but it was habit with every doughnut or pastry Ayame brought into the studio.

“Why won’t you?” She took a sip before nabbing a second doughnut, this one looking like a blueberry glazed. “You liked her and she obviously liked you,” this statement was paired with a knowing, pointed look, “what would it hurt?”

 _A lot_ , he thought, Kagome’s face in his head. He thought over a few days or so, his reaction to one of the women would subside and then he could think about potential moves. But with it currently like this, both wonderful women taking up the same space, the same strength of emotion, Kouga didn’t want to do anything.

It didn’t make sense. He had a conversation, an actual connection, with the mystery woman. With Kagome, he had stolen moments at Christmas parties and glances from across the deck at summer dinners. Nothing really solid, but she was still there, still something he wanted to get to know. How long would it take for one of them to wane?

“Is there someone else?” Ayame’s face darkened, displeasure evident in her expression. “Kouga, are you seeing someone? Did you have sex with that woman knowing—”

“No.” He was adamant, his response as hard as her questions. “I’m not seeing anyone.”

Her eyes narrowed and he almost cursed. He knew that look. Sometimes Ayame was too smart for her own good. “But that doesn’t mean there isn’t someone else, does it?”

He didn’t say anything, kept his face blank and let her draw whatever conclusion she wanted to.

“Just because you’re not seeing someone doesn’t mean there isn’t someone you’re interested in,” she said slowly, piecing the words together as she went. “That’s it, isn’t it? You’re interested in someone else? You don’t want to continue with the woman at the ball?”

“No, that’s not—” he scrubbed a hand over his face, cursing that Ayame was forcing him to admit his shame. “Yes, I’m interested in someone else. Yes, I want to continue with the woman at the ball. _Yes_ , that makes me a shitty person to be thinking of chasing two people at the same time.”

Ayame blinked at him, her mouth dropping open before closing shut. Her jaw dropped again, she took a breath, and then closed once more. Finally, she nudged the doughnut box in his direction. When he ignored it, she nudged it again. Giving in, he grabbed an apple fritter. Ayame always did order a plethora of options when shopping for breakfast.

“Is that why you’re not chasing either?” she asked and with those words, her eyes rounded in understanding. “ _That’s_ why you wanted the challenge of a wedding dress.”

He drained the rest of his coffee and finished his fritter, then left Ayame in the room while he found the bathroom. Rule one when dealing with fabric — wash your hands after every meal, drink, or snack. He was drying his hands when Ayame shouldered him away from the sink, washing her hands as well.

“Who’s the other person?” she asked innocently. “Anyone I know?”

“Nope,” he lied. Hanging the towel back on the rack, Kouga flicked off the light and walked out. “We have a dress to finish.”

“Don’t think you’re throwing me off!” she called after him, cursing under her breath about _stupid men and their stupid childish ways_.

It brought out a smile. He might have had a hell of an emotionally trying two weeks, but Ayame was always good for a boost.


	7. Chapter 6: "I was hoping this would be a happy ending."

Grabbing his keys and his phone, Kouga slid out of his car and walked to the front door of the studio. He wasn’t supposed to go back to work, but he’d finished his meeting early and figured a few more hours working on his gown would be a nice way to end the night. Seeing Ayame’s car in the parking lot wasn’t a surprise. She was cataloging all the dresses and tuxes they’d rented out for the ball after being cleaned. Yuka’s car wasn’t a surprise either, the efficient admin probably doing her quarterly inventory of supplies and swatches.

But there was a third car he didn’t recognize. A little older, slightly worn, but well maintained. It wasn’t the prettiest car in the lot, but it was obviously well cared for. He always liked seeing that in a person. Pride in ownership, as his dad had taught him with his first car.

The door was locked which usually meant there was a fitting. Wouldn’t be a big deal. There were two fitting rooms and the dress was in the one they usually didn’t use for clients. He’d make sure the other fitting room was closed before walking past just to help protect the client’s privacy.

Unlocking the door, he walked in to see a Yuka at the front desk, her eyes wide in alarm.

“What are you doing here?” she blurted out. Almost immediately, she shot up from her seat and darted for the hallway. “Ayame!”

Locking the door behind him was habit and the only thing he paused for before rushing after Yuka. “What?”

“Ayame!” she yelled again, heading straight to the—

 _No_. Kouga stuttered to a stop, his stomach dropping at the thought that someone was in the same room as his dress.

“Well, tell him to go away,” came Ayame’s clear voice from the room and kickstarted Kouga back into movement.

He stomped down the hall, panic and anger whirling into a furious storm in his chest. How could they allow this? Ayame knew better. He gave strict orders that no other hands were to touch that fabric without his supervision and _no_ client was allowed to see it.

“Ayame,” he growled, his hand hovering over the door Yuka had closed in his face. As much as he wanted to tear in there, he couldn’t risk a client that way. “What are you doing?”

“Absolutely nothing,” she said through the door.

“Ayame,” a new voice said, one that niggled at his ear in a familiarity he couldn’t place.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Ayame soothed to Kouga’s astonishment. “He just hasn’t eaten dinner.”

“Ayame.” This time her name was hard and demanding and Kouga knew she wouldn’t ignore the order. “Please make sure the client is decent.”

It took everything in him to pause, but he forced himself to slowly count to ten and give them time to cover anything the client wouldn’t want paraded around. On ten, he gave three hard knocks on the door — a habit he trained into every person who worked for his company — and opened the door.

There was someone in his dress.

Not just in the same room, but _in_ his dress. He turned to Ayame immediately, knowing there was no hiding the fury on his face. “Ayame,” he bit out quietly. “A word?”

The corners of her lips pinched as she fought back a smile and Kouga almost swore. If she laughed at him right now, he didn’t know what he would do. “What do you think?”

The utter _audacity_ she had. To directly disobey his orders, to disrespect his design by fitting someone before it was finished, to ignore him so thoroughly? He was going to tan her hide, wring her neck, and then put her out on her ass.

“Kouga,” she said pointedly, her eyes darting toward the client, “what do you think?”

He took a breath, swallowed his emotions, and desperately reached for the professionalism he prided himself in. They would fight — _oh_ they would fight — but it wouldn’t be in front of a client. Turning, he ignored everything in him revolting at someone in that dress, tamped down his instinct to rip it off them, and forced his eyes to assess how the dress fit.

Her hair was loosely pinned at the base of her neck, ivory flowers placed carefully in a subtle tiara along the crown of her head. The fabric lined her shoulders perfectly, the buttons trailing down a graceful spine in the way he knew it should look. No wrinkles, no bumps, the perfect length.

It was exactly what he envisioned.

Looking past her figure to the mirror, he could see how the bodice fit the curve of her waist, how the skirt flowed with the flare of her hip, how the ivory worked with her skintone, and how the sheer panels at the top blended seamlessly to the bare skin of her collarbones.

“Doesn’t it fit her perfectly?” Ayame asked, moving next to him.

The woman was damn brave. “It does,” he said, very aware of those clear gray eyes on him in the reflection of the mirror. “Is Miss Higurashi in the market for a wedding gown?”

“I’m sorry,” Kagome said then, half-turning on the stand. “Ayame invited me here because it’s been a hard couple weeks with my grandfather in the hospital.”

Kouga’s head snapped toward her, watching her carefully, reassessing, taking in everything he missed. He knew that voice. He knew those eyes. He knew _her_.

“She thought this would help cheer me up.” Kagome’s hands went to smooth down the flare of the skirt, then clenched into fists before she pulled at the embroidery. “I didn’t realize. I never would have—”

She fell silent when he moved toward her. Yuka disappeared out of the room and he vaguely noted Ayame was moving in that direction as well.

“Your grandfather,” he said, his mind spinning with so many questions he wanted to ask, “is he okay?”

“Yes.” She swallowed, her eyes darting over his shoulder and back again. “He slipped on the shrine steps and had a nasty fall. He broke his hip, but the doctors said it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. He was able to start light physical therapy this week.”

“When did he fall?”

“Three weeks ago,” she answered quietly. “During the Taisho’s annual ball.”

His eyes closed, hope sprouting his chest. Could he be so lucky? Could the mystery woman of his dreams be the same woman he’d wanted for years?

“Inuyasha arranged for me to wear one of Ayame’s designs and I was retuning it today when she invited me in.”

He sighed, a smile growing on his lips. “It’s you,” he whispered. “The blue dress. The bird mask. It’s you.”

She was confused at first, puzzlement furrowing her eyebrows before she took in a sharp breath. Her eyes bore into his, dropped down to his mouth, traced the line of his jaw and curve of his ponytail, then returned to his eyes. “My warrior?” she asked breathily, swaying on her feet. “The charmer who knew how to dance?”

A lump formed in his throat, nerves starting to dance along his skin. “I wasn’t sure you would want to meet me again.”

“I didn’t realize,” she stopped, let her eyes fall closed and took in a deep breath. “It wasn’t until I was in the car that I realized you were serious about seeing me again. And then when I got to the hospital—”

He shook his head, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. “You don’t need to explain. I’m glad your grandfather is doing okay.”

She swallowed, a hesitant smile forming on her mouth before a flush traveled up her neck. “I—I— you— Would you like to go to dinner?”

He hadn’t realized how tense he was until he sagged in relief at that question.

“That is,” she stuttered, a bit of fear entering her gaze, “if you still want me after knowing who I am?”

“Kagome.” His mouth went dry and he wet his lips. No, this woman had already been so courageous, he could be the vulnerable one this time. “I’ve wanted to ask you on a date since the after-Christmas party where Inuyasha ended up passed out on the pool deck.”

Her eyes flared and her mouth dropped. “That was two years ago.”

“Finding out that you’re the woman I met at the ball?” He shook his head with a soft chuckle at how she could possibly doubt how he felt. “I couldn’t have imagined anything better.”

Her eyes sparkled in the lights, a smile starting to form. When it took that teasing note he knew so well, Kouga almost kissed her. Instead, he patiently waited to hear what she had to say.

“Wanna help me out of this gown? I don’t think it’s a good look for a first date.”

***

Kouga waited in the hallway while Kagome finished dressing. It didn’t take much to undo the buttons and help her out of the dress without being stuck by a pin, but he didn’t trust himself to help any further. Stepping out was the best way to make sure they made it to their date and there was too much to say to miss it. He got his second change, a second chance he’d never dreamed of; he was going to do his damndest to make sure he didn’t mess it up.

Kagome opened the door as he was fixing his clothes, smiling when she saw him. She was wearing a bright sundress and simple flats, her hair free of flowers and pulled back into a loose ponytail, and a simple crossbody bag on her shoulder. “I put the gown on the mannequin,” she said. “I figured it would be safest there.”

Her eyes caught on his sleeves as he was struggling with a button. “What are you doing?”

“Getting ready for dinner” He finished one and moved to the other.

Her eyebrows furrowed and she tentatively touched his wrist. “May I?”

Silently, he nodded and held his arm out, but to his surprise she cuffed the sleeve and began rolling it up his arm.

“It feels too formal if you’re wearing it like this,” she said, smoothing out the cuff on his forearm and moving to the other, “and I really want something easy and casual, if that’s okay with you.”

“Perfect.”

She finished that arm then hesitantly reached for his tie. He bent, giving her easier access. Her fingers were trembling slightly when she pulled the silk through his collar, then unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt.

“I can do that if you’d rather.”

“No, it’s okay. I just,” a blush dusted her nose and she smiled and laughed to herself, “I could barely talk when you were dressed like this at the barbecue. It’s a good look or you.”

“You noticed?”

She nodded. “Been noticing for a while. But I couldn’t do anything while…” Kagome trailed off, her eyes dropping to his chest, then closing. “I’m so happy they’re public.”

He snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her close and cradling her head against his chest. It seemed Inuyasha and Ayame’s scheme took a toll on everyone involved. “Me, too.”

“Inuyasha put up a good front, but it was wearing him down. Ayame was starting to show some cracks, too. But recently…” Her arms tightened around him. “I had already planned on telling them next month that I was done.”

“Why?” he asked. “Did something happen?”

She didn’t say anything for so long, he thought she might not answer.

“I was scared you were going to start dating someone,” she said into his chest quietly. “Not that I had any courage to approach you or anything, but _someone_ was going to.”

Kouga stared down at her head, too stunned to say anything.

“And I didn’t think you would be interested, but it felt like a better rejection if you knew I was single.” Her hand was picking at a fold in his shirt and he found it utterly endearing. “If you were going to date someone not me, I wanted it to be because you chose it, not because I was taken.”

Her hands tightened, released, and she abruptly pulled back. “God, that sounds so stupid—”

Kouga bent, palmed the sides of her waist to hold her steady, and kissed her. She froze and he took the opportunity to nibble on her bottom lip, coaxing her to return the kiss. Slowly, she moved with him, nibbling back, resting her hands on his chest for balance when she rose up to her toes. When he flicked his tongue, she melted into him and Kouga couldn’t resist pulling her right back where she had been.

“I had a dozen different ideas of how to chase after the woman from the ball,” he murmured against her lips, “but I couldn’t bring myself to do it when I was still thinking of you.”

She stared at him with shining gray eyes, her dark lashes a perfect outline. He gave her another kiss, sweet and gentle and everything he’d been missing for months.

“Ready for dinner?” he asked after breaking the kiss.

She smiled, going back in for another quick kiss. “We could always order in?”

He groaned, delighted at the shiver traveling down her spine at the sound.

“What do you say?” Her fingers played with his collar. “PJ’s and takeout on my couch?”

Kouga couldn’t help the smile at that, remembering her words from the ball. “That sounds perfect.”

“Good.” Her eyes gleamed. “I’m still not ready to risk whatever death trap of a futon is waiting in your bachelor pad.”

He laughed, a full, loud sound as he loosened his hold on her. “You’re going to be very surprised when you finally do see what kind of couch I have.”

“And until then,” she teased, “I’ll make sure to tell you all the guesses I have.”

He couldn’t wait to hear whatever outrageous ideas she came up with.

“Follow me there?” she asked, pulling her keys out of the small bag hanging from her shoulder.

“I’ll follow you anywhere.”

That surprised her and the look she gave him was one he wanted to see again and again.

“You mean that.”

He nodded. “I do.”

“Does the charm ever turn off with you?” she tried to tease, but the hitch in her voice hinted that maybe she really did feel the same about him.

“With you?” He held out his hand, loving the feel of her skin against his. “Never.”


	8. Epilogue: "That'll do, Donkey. That'll do."

Kagome’s phone buzzed on the nightstand beside her bed, pulling her out of her fog of almost-sleep and into full consciousness. Rubbing her eyes as she grabbed the phone, she wasn’t surprised to see Inuyasha’s name on the screen.

“Mornin’,” she grumbled, a yawn almost cracking her jaw as the rest of her body started to wake up.

“Good morning,” came a suspiciously chipper response. Inuyasha was worse in the mornings than she was. “Did you have a good night?”

“Uh.” She shifted in bed, angling up to get a bleary look at the clock on her wall. 8:40ish in the morning. “Why are you calling me this early?”

An arm snaked around her waist and there was another body shifting on her mattress. Warmth seeped into her as a hard chest molded to her back and lips pressed against her bare shoulder.

 _Kouga_. Kouga stayed the night. Inuyasha was calling to talk about Kouga.

“Go away,” she said into the phone, hanging up to the sound of laughter coming from the other end. She dropped the phone to the nightstand just as another ringtone sang in the room. “Is that your phone?”

“It’s probably Ayame,” Kouga answered, his voice rough with sleep. She liked how that gravel danced over her skin. “It’ll shut off soon.”

His hand splayed over her abdomen on top of her tank top. Last night had been a great night — food, conversation, and no expectations other than to get to know each other better. She hadn’t wanted it to end and invited him to sleep over. Kagome smiled at the memory of Kouga’s eyes lighting up at the invitation.

“How’d you sleep?” she asked when his phone finally stopped ringing, snuggling back into him.

“Great,” he said as he nuzzled into her hair. “You?”

“Really good.” She let out a sigh as she arched her back, feeling her muscles stretch and adjust. “I was expecting you to snore.”

He snorted out a laugh and one arm snaked under her, cradling her to his chest. “I’ll start as soon as I can.”

Kagome couldn’t keep back her laugh. Had he always been this easy to talk to? So many events that she kept to his peripheral, too nervous to approach. She had no idea it could be like this.

“What are your plans today?”

She thought over her week, automatically finding all the ways she could make more time for him. “I was going to start laundry and paint this morning and then swing by the rehab center in the afternoon after Grandpa’s physical therapy session. He gets a little grumpy, but I think he’s happier to have the company when he’s tired.”

Kouga hummed, his thumb rubbing back and forth and almost succeeding in distracting her. “Would you like to get lunch with me?”

“What are you doing today?” she asked instead, an idea starting to take form.

“I have to check in at the studio some time and make sure we’ve catalogued all of our dresses.” His legs shifted against hers, a restless movement she found endearing. “I was originally planning on working more on that gown.”

Kagome shifted so she could look over her shoulder at him, not quite certain if that was a thought she should chase or not.

“I’ll eventually finish it,” his lips quirked into a deprecating half-smile, “but I don’t feel that same urgency now.”

She studied his face, his words, and remembered his reaction the day before. “Is it your design?”

He nodded.

“That bitch,” Kagome laughed, Ayame’s words clear in her ear. “She told me she was working on something and wanted to see it on a moving body. I should have known. It didn’t look anything like her normal designs. I wouldn’t have touched it if I knew it was yours.”

“Did you not like it?”

“Kouga, it’s _beautiful_ ,” she corrected instantly as his expression practically closed off. “I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it, but it wasn’t _hers_. You don’t just randomly try on a work-in-progress without the designer’s permission.”

He smiled, shifted, and watched her as she continued talking.

“As soon as I heard you outside the room, I knew something was wrong. And you were so angry and Ayame was just pushing every button she could find and—”

His index finger tapped over her lips, bringing her ramble to a stop. “And she knew the dress was consuming me.” The feel of his finger rasping over her bottom lip before trailing to her jaw sent shivers down her spine. “I didn’t know what to do between you and… _you_ , so I worked on the dress instead.” His eyes moved from his finger to meet hers and he smiled. “She asked me why I didn’t just ask her who she fitted in that blue gown, so she knew what she was doing.”

Kouga’s words made sense. Ayame wasn’t dumb. She would have never put Kagome in Kouga’s dress without a plan—

Kagome’s eyes narrowed and without warning, she reached back for her phone. Kouga relaxed his hold just enough to let her, only to pull her right back to his chest as she swiped open the screen and tapped on Inuyasha’s number. A few rings and then she was talking right over whatever greeting he was giving her. “Why didn’t you tell me you and Ayame were planning this whole thing?”

“Wha—”

“My dress was already picked out before I ever saw options, your parents railroaded me into dancing with their choice of partner, and both you and Ayame fixed me up so I would be in the studio when Kouga walked in!”

Inuyasha’s huff sounded in her ear. “You done?”

“Not even slightly!”

“Figured.” He laughed then and she could practically see his smile creasing his cheeks. “Are you complaining?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Are you happy?”

Kouga’s arms tensed around her and she realized this close, he could probably hear every word. She answered with the truth.“Of course.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Kagome sputtered at that, her mouth moving and no sound coming out. How could he _ask_ that after she dictated all the ways they’d orchestrated this entire thing?

“You were too busy being all ‘oh but I’m not good enough, what if he actually doesn’t like me at all’ and he was being a complete idiot and convinced he was cheating on you with you. Which doesn’t even touch how stupid you both were before the gala with your whole ‘spy each other across the room and brood quietly in a corner’ thing going on.”

She had not been prepared for that avalanche of information and from the way Kouga went completely still, he hadn’t been either.

“And rather than let you both continue to be dumb and waste even more time,” Inuyasha continued, gaining traction with every word, “we did what we had to do to get you both to act like adults. And good fucking riddance, it’s about damn time. The entire world can do with a break from the crazy tension between you two.”

A sound came out of her mouth that could have been a laugh, but also could have been a cry and Kagome knew she’d never be able to replicate it if she tried.

“This is where you say ‘Thank you, Inuyasha, I don’t know what I’d do without you,’ hang up the phone, bone his brains out, and make sure both of your asses are at the Jewel for lunch today at one. Ayame wants to buy you guys a drink.”

“The _Jewel_?” she finally managed, almost choking at the thought of paying those prices for lunch.

“Yes, the Jewel. Getting you two to stop being idiots wasn’t easy and Kouga can more than afford it. Oh,” his tone shifted and Kagome could just see that sinister smile he had when he was deviously planning something, “and my parents are taking you both out for dinner tomorrow night, so think of this as practice.”

When she opened her mouth again and no sound came out, Kouga held his hand out in a polite request for her phone. She handed it over wordlessly, her mind reeling with a dozen or two thoughts scattered around in every possible direction.

“We’ll be there,” he said easily as soon as he put the phone to his ear. “Yeah, don’t worry, I’ll tell her. Congrats on your engagement, I owe you a drink.” There was a pause and then Kouga’s lips spread into a gorgeous smile. “Actually, I think you gave us a to-do list. See you in a couple hours.”

He hung up the phone and handed it back to her, the perfect picture of patience as she dropped it back on her nightstand. “What just happened?”

“He said they’ll explain everything over lunch and that he’ll wait to hear your gratitude then.”

“Jerk,” she said with fond affection, moving freely with Kouga as he rolled onto his back and pulled her with him. “Knowing him, he’ll be taking all the credit for this.”

“Not all of it.” He shifted her onto his chest with ease, moving as if she didn’t weigh a thing. “Ayame helped a lot.”

Kagome studied him, wondering what he was thinking underneath that grin of his. “Why are you okay with this?”

“Because I’m here. With you.” His hands ran up and down her sides, catching on the edge of her shirt with each pass. “And maybe because I’ll be spending the next few months getting Ayame back for the heart attack she gave me yesterday.”

“I’ve never seen you so angry,” she admitted as her hands started to idly trace over his bare chest. Kagome was delighted at the expanse of skin under her. “I thought you were going to fire her for sure.”

“I was before I realized who you were.”

As her palms ghosted over his skin and his hands learned the shape of her hips, she felt something twitch against her stomach. The corner of his mouth kicked up in response.

“Is it true, what Inuyasha said?” he asked suddenly, his blue eyes focused on her. “That you thought you weren’t good enough?”

A small flush of shame swept over her and her eyes fell to his neck, all the insecurities she’d been fighting off rearing their ugly heads. “Yeah, kind of. Everyone at the gala was so…” She shook her head, reaching for another thought. “Their guest list is always filled with successful people established in their careers and I work a reception job at one of Touga’s offices.”

Her eyes widened as she realized what she said and immediately started backtracking. “I mean it’s a good job and I’m grateful for it, but it’s not like I’m selling canvases in museums or winning awards at shows or—”

“Do you want to?”

Kagome blinked at him. It was such a simple question with no judgment or expectation or opinion. Just four little words and Kouga patiently waiting for her answer. “What?”

“Do you want to sell your paintings in museums? Do you want to win awards at shows?” His hands continued moving over her. “Or do you just want to paint? That’s an option, too.”

His words were blows, soft and gentle, but blows nonetheless, knocking the weight of expectations and demands and stress off her shoulders. He shifted up the mattress to rest his shoulders against her headboard andnKagome scrambled up with him, her knees on either side of his waist as she sat up and stared at him. It was the last thing she expected to hear from the name behind a hugely successful fashion line.

“Kagome.” Affection was plain on his face as he cupped her jaw in both hands. There was a roll of muscle underneath her hands on his chest as he sat forward and she wasn’t prepared for just how gentle the kiss he gave her was going to be. So sweet, so soft, sparking along her awareness but not demanding anything. “Do you not see all that you have to offer?”

Her lips parted, but he held a thumb against him, his eyes studying her face for long moments.

“I can’t wait to show you,” he said then, shifting again as he eased back against the headboard again. “Between the two of us, I’m definitely the lucky one.”

He meant it. It didn’t make sense, but she couldn’t find any hint of a lie on his face.

“You don’t have to go down a path if you don’t want to. Your paintings are gorgeous. I have no doubt that you’ll succeed at whatever you decide to do.”

“You’ve seen my paintings?” It was so innocuous in all that he said, but so close to her heart.

“I’ve been watching you since the Christmas party, remember?” He grinned, a little bit of shyness peeking out of his expression even while his hands slid under her tank top and danced along the bare skin of her waist. “Izayoi would show everyone she met if she could and after you and Ayame became friends, it was easy to see them.”

She gaped. How long had this been going on?

“This might not be the best timing,” Kouga continued as his gaze traveled down her torso and his fingers edged along the band of her shorts, “but I’ve been wanting to commission one. I figured one day, I’ll get the courage to ask your rates.”

“My rates?”

When he met her eyes then, his expression was serious. “I see.” A thought crossed his face and his features eased into the playful appearance she was used to. “We definitely have some work to do.”

“We—” Her words ended on a gasp as he moved and before Kagome knew it, he’d switched their positions. His hands ran down her sides and hiked one leg up over his hip as he leaned over her.

“The way I see this, we can spend the morning talking about this very low opinion you have of yourself and how I’m going to work on that or,” he settled between her legs, letting some of his weight press her into the mattress, “we can use that time to make out a little before lunch. I’m okay with either, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a preference.”

Her hands were on his chest before she had her answer, ghosting over the contours up around his shoulders. It seemed she had a preference, too. “Just a little making out?”

Kouga’s grin turned wolfish and she wasn’t mistaking the feel of him pressed against her inner thigh through his boxers. “Whatever you want.”

Her blood pulsed through her veins, the flirting of the night before taking its toll. “I think Inuyasha gave me a to-do list,” she finally said, echoing what Kouga said on the phone.

He jerked against her and Kagome’s smile widened.

“Yeah, I think that’s what I want to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it!! Can you believe it's finished? If you're interested, you can find links to the dresses I used for inspiration and a bonus scene [on my tumblr.](http://nikkxb.tumblr.com/all-that-glitters)
> 
> Thank you so much for going on this journey with me!


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